Friday, December 23, 2011

Picking Golf Clubs To Complement Your Playing Technique

If you are in the market for golf clubs, you have likely heard a bunch about how choosing the right ones can affect your game in a positive manner. You have probably heard that if you don’t buy the right golf clubs, you will end up playing a terrible game every time you pick them up. However, any seasoned golfer will tell you that this is not necessarily true. You don’t need to spend an insane amount of money on the nicest golf clubs possible. Not only it is a waste of money, it also has almost no benefits for golfers. There are a few things that you do need to pay attention to, but other than those you have the freedom to pick golf clubs that appeal to you aesthetically, or even better, financially.

The most important thing when picking golf clubs is to get the right length. The traditional way to determine the proper length for almost any person is to measure from their navel to the ground when they are standing straight up. This is by no means the most accurate way to do it, but it should give you a ballpark range. Once you have the basic range figured out, it’s a good idea to give a few clubs some good test swings and find out what feels the best as you swing it. Stick around the range that you initially figured out, but feel free to try ones that are a bit longer or a bit shorter. The more you experiment with, the more you will be able to be sure that you are really getting what you need.

One choice that you will be faced with is the choice of graphite or steel. Graphite is often marketed as though it were some sort of amazing material that automatically beats everything else on the market. The sooner you realize that this is not true, the sooner you will be able to make a good financial decision on your golf clubs. Graphite is a decent material, but in all truth it is not for everyone. Every golfer plays at his or her best with a certain amount of flex in the shaft of the golf club. Graphite allows for a different level of flex. If you are used to playing with this level, then graphite is fine. Otherwise, the stiffer steel should be fine. Steel is also more reliable and long-lasting, so you get a longer lifespan for less money.

While golfing magazines and advertisements will usually try to tell you that the new models of golf clubs are much better and more preferable, you should understand something. They are still just long sticks with a head on the end – the same as they have been for decades. You may think that buying an older or used set of golf clubs is taking the cheap and undesirable way out, but there is nothing wrong with saving some money by going with the older models. They are usually of very high quality, and will not cost you too much at all. It’s very reasonable, and will pay off for you in the end. You can find used golf clubs or older models in all sorts of venues, from auctions to the internet.

The best thing to do when in the market for golf clubs is to not get caught up in the hype surrounding the top-of-the-line golf clubs. Many golfers are excited by all of the new features and functionality, and fail to recognize that the newer golf clubs have little more to offer than older ones, besides a much higher price point. So look at it objectively and consider what your money is worth, so that you can avoid wasting an unnecessary amount. When you are a more seasoned golfer, you’ll be glad that you started out at the level you belong at.

Are Callaway Clubs The Best Choice For You

No matter how long you have been golfing, it is likely that you have heard of the Callaway brand of golf clubs and accessories. They are one of the top suppliers for the entire golf industry. If you are in the market for new golf clubs, you will likely want to consider Callaway products at some point. They are certainly not for everyone (as no golf club is), but they offer a large enough range of products that you might just be able to find something that you would like to use. Here I will describe some of the things offered by Callaway clubs, and what sorts of golfers use them.

Callaway is very famous for its drivers that are able to hit balls further than any other drivers. Most of the time these are against regulation for actual official golf games, but if you are just going out to the driving range then there shouldn’t be a problem. The engineers at Callaway spend literally years developing the drivers, and adjusting every little piece of it to make it into the perfect piece of golf equipment. Usually the shaft is very light, while the head of the golf club is shaped perfectly and given a good amount of weight. The specifications depend on the model that you choose, but most of the time their super drivers have hollow heads (making them technically Woods).

While Callaway offers products that could be used by the most professional of golfers, they also have quite a few that are more geared towards beginners. You can use some of these specially designed clubs or club sets to familiarize yourself with the game and become very proficient with your strokes. This will allow you to become an excellent player before you even begin to spend huge amounts of money on your items. Some of the best items include the adjustable golf clubs, or the half-set that leaves you with just the basic choices to familiarize yourself with. Look for these products are your local club store, or in an online Callaway catalog.

Callaway’s product line doesn’t end at golf clubs. Everything else you need for the game, you will have the option of buying through Callaway. This includes golf apparel, which everyone knows is a must-have when you are going to spend a day on the course. Golf shoes are the best for moving across the grass that makes up the ground of the golf courses, and other golf apparel such as hats and shirts will protect you from the brutal elements involved in the game. If you are an easily sunburned person, then you should find the proper shading and protection in order to avoid having your skin burned while you play.

As with any company, Callaway sells a large range of golfing products. Whether you are a beginner or an expert or somewhere in between, you will be able to find a product that works for you. Figure out what exactly you are looking for out of a golf club set, and bring these requirements with you when you go shopping. This will allow those who are helping you to narrow things down much faster and help you more efficiently for a better end result for everyone involved.

Buying Great Golf Clubs Without Emptying Your Wallet

Golf clubs are some of the most expensive accessories to buy when it comes to sporting goods. However, there is no reason why they should be this way. Expensive golf clubs usually have more technology and more features, but for the average golfer it is a complete waste of money. It is possible to get clubs at a reasonable rate. The surprising thing is that most of the time these clubs will be even better for you than the more expensive ones. Read on to find out about some of the reasons why you should stick with cheaper clubs, as well as some of the places that you can buy them.

For a beginning golfer, the temptation to buy more expensive clubs comes from the illusion that they will improve the skill as if by magic. The truth is that an amazing golf club requires an amazing technique in order to make it work as desired. Expensive golf clubs are designed so that they are more efficient and less forgiving. With the slightest wrong move, you will throw the trajectory of the ball so far off track that your stroke will be laughable. If you stick with beginners golf clubs (as you should), the heads of the clubs will be much more forgiving and you will be able to practice your technique without completely embarrassing yourself in the process.

Secondhand clubs are also a good way to save money and still get some nice clubs. If you golf with people who like to stay on the cutting edge of technology, they are likely to have older clubs that are still of a very high quality level. Speak with them about purchasing the used golf clubs. With used golf clubs you need to be particularly careful, and look for anything that would compromise the quality of the clubs. Sometimes when used enough, even golf clubs will wear out and become nearly unusable. Before any money exchanges hands, take the clubs out for a test game. If you are a good friend with the person who you would like to buy from, they might even let you use the clubs for a longer period of time.

So where do you find older models of clubs, or used clubs? Auctions and pawn shops are two of the best places to go for golf clubs of this type. Golf clubs are almost a staple of auctions, and you are likely to have at least one choice. If you spend a lot of time at auctions, you will be able to have quite a few different choices for golf clubs. You will simply have to learn to recognize golf clubs and judge whether they are a worthy investment. The same goes with pawn shops. If you are able to recognize the features that you desire in a golf club, you will have endless opportunities to check for these in various venues. If you end up finding clubs that fit with what you are looking for, they will likely be much cheaper than if you had bought them at a retail store.

Cheap golf clubs are very possible to come by, but they are very risky at the same time. If you know enough about what you’re looking for, you can look at a golf club and immediately tell if it is something that is worth your time. But if you are inexperienced in buying golf clubs, you are not likely to have this knowledge. Therefore you need to carefully plan out all of the things that you are going to look for in your future golf clubs, and bring this list with you when you go to scout out for possibilities. This will help you in every way, allowing you to recognize what you need and weed out what you don’t. It may even help you to avoid wasting your money on something that isn’t exactly what you need.

Choices You Face When Picking Golf Clubs

With so many new types of golf clubs hitting the market every year, it is an understatement to say that it can be a challenge to pick new clubs. If you are new to the world of golfing, you will be shocked at the sheer number of options that you will have when picking your clubs. Everything about it can be changed and customized to fit your own needs. Choosing the right golf club is very important in order to ensure that your money is well-spent and your game will hopefully improve as a result of the new clubs. Therefore you should pay attention to the following factors when trying to choose the right golf clubs.

Some would argue that the most important part of the golf club is the shaft. This is the metal rod that connects the grip to the head. You can change many things about this, including the length and the density. Usually you will have learned to golf with clubs that have certain properties, so you may want to stick with these. However, if you are fine with coping in order to improve your game then you may find it worth it to completely grow accustomed to a new style of golf club. There are many different ways to find the correct length and density for you, and you should pay attention to all of them.

The size of the head is also a very important factor in your purchase (and your swing of whatever clubs you end up purchasing). The smaller it is, the more control you will have over it. However, the larger it is, the more you are able to hit the ball since there is a larger area available on the side of the club. The type you choose can also affect your swinging, since different materials have significantly different weights and feels. Give each of them a test swing before you commit to any size, so that you know what youa re dealing with for every single type.

The handle of the club is another important part. You will probably be faced with a few different choices, and hopefully you will be given the chance to try out a few of them before you make up your mind. The handle should be comfortable to grip, but you should always make sure that it allows you to grip it tight enough so that it doesn’t fly out of your hands when you make your swing. If your palms tend to sweat more than the average person’s, then you might look for something that can combat this more effectively. It all depends on your personal needs.

Last but certainly not least, you will want to carefully consider the cost of the clubs that you are looking at. If you are not much of a player and you only go out for the occasional casual game, then you don’t want to spend an obscene amount of money on your clubs. However, if you are looking to improve your game to the best of your ability and perhaps play in tournaments, then a nice set of clubs could be a worthwhile investment. Just consider how much you think they can help you, and how much time you will be spending using them to make sure that it is worth the money.

All of the things mentioned so far will play a huge role in your choice. If you visit a decent club store and speak with them about all of the things you are looking for in a golf club set, they can probably help you greatly in narrowing down the specifications of what you are looking for. Try out as many clubs as you can, and don’t settle until you have experimented with all of your options. This will lead to you choosing the best golf clubs possible.

Choosing A Flex Rating For Your Golf Clubs

When you pick golf clubs, you may be overwhelmed by how many things you have to take into consideration. The length of the shaft, the weight of the head, the grip, and many other smaller details combine to make clubs that are perfect for your golfing style. Perhaps the most important factor is that of the flex of the golf clubs that you are buying. There are different flex ratings for different golf clubs, and choosing the right one can have a great positive effect on your game. It may be difficult to understand at first, but you should be able to pick a shaft with the perfect flex for you with no problem after you familiarize yourself with some of the basics of shaft flex.

The bend of a shaft is very subtle and imperceptible, and causes the greatest effect during your swing. The force and momentum of the club head cause a very small flex in the shaft. Depending on the material and production techniques used on your club, this flex can range from extremely stiff to fairly flexible. If you aren’t sure about the particular clubs that you have been using in the past, then you may consider asking a golfing expert to look at them and see if he can’t discern it. If you can find out what you have been using previously, then you will have a much easier time switching to something new.

The four main flex ratings are L, R, S, and XS. These stand for Ladies, Regular, Senior, and Extra Stiff. Usually L, R, or S should work fine for the casual player, so it is a good idea to simply try out the golf clubs in the category you fit into. You will find more often than not that this level of flex is perfect for you. However, if you don’t feel comfortable with the clubs then you will probably want to delve into a more technical process of choosing your shaft flex. This is accomplished by closely analyzing your swing, and deciding from there what the best course of action is.

The speed of your swing is the biggest factor when you decide to get into the more technical side of shaft flex choice. It all depends on how you swing the club. The fastest swingers tend to stick with stiffer shafts – if your club travels like greased lightning, then the XS style shaft is probably the best choice for you. If you tend to have a slower and more controlled swing, you can stick with R or even L. The letters are arbitrarily assigned based on data gathered on swinging habits, and if you are a man that needs a “Ladies” style shaft, there is no shame in sticking with what you need in order to play your best.

The material of the shaft can also affect the way that you swing it. Graphite and steel are the two materials that almost every golf club is made out of, and each of them is very distinct when you look at them from a flex viewpoint. Steel clubs have a lower torque rating, which means that they will be useful more to one group of golfers than another. When you are faced with the choice of picking new golf clubs, it is a good idea to know which one you prefer so that you can choose the one that you will be most accustomed to.

Picking the flex level of a new set of golf clubs can be one of the hardest choices you will make, especially if you are new to golfing. But once you try out enough and get a feel for your personal needs, you will know it for the future. Every time you buy clubs from then on, you will know exactly what to choose, and you will always be able to stick with the same clubs. This allows you to really be constant in your game, and improve your skill.